Card list or index



(No Model.) w

G. P. LOMB. CARD LIST 0R INDEX.

Patented Dec. 10, I895.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL F. LOMB, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

CARD LIST OR INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,984, dated December 10, 1895.

Application filed January 12, 1895. Serial No- 534,635. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL F, LOMB, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card Lists or Indexes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My invention relates to a device for keeping lists on separate slips or cardssuch, for instance, as lists of names, catalogues of books, accounts, &c.,where regular arrangement, alphabetical or otherwise, isto be preserved and frequent changes may be made in it; and ithas particularly for its object to im prove the construction and operation of such a device as is shown in Letters Patent No. 554,255, granted June 16, 1891, to J. HrFezandie, in which the cards are provided with apertures near their lower ends co-operating with a rod or bar which is thicker in one .direction than in the other- -that is, fiat or substantially rectangular or elliptical in crosssection-and which when turned in one direction will permit the removal of any of the cards from said bar, but when turned in a direction at right angles thereto will prevent such removal; and to these and other ends it consists in certain improvements in con struction and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and the novel features pointed out' in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drawer and portion of a cabinet, showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional View; Fig. 3, a detached View of the locking-plate; Fig. 4:, a perspective view of the rod or bar and locking-plate, showing the plate in dotted lines; Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line a; w of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, an enlarged sectional View on the line y y of Fig. 5, looking to the left; Fig. 7, a rear view of the lock on the follower; Fig. 8, a View of one of the cards or tablets; Fig. 9, a section on the line .2 z of Fig. 5.

Similar reference-numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

The drawer or casing in which the index or list is arranged may be of any suitable construction; but Ip'refer to employ such an arrangement as is shown in Fig. 1, 1 indicating a suitable cabinet or casing; 2, the drawer sliding therein, having a partition 3 and adapted to contain two of the indexes, one series of cards 4 being shown on one side of the partition 3 and the cards belonging on the other side being removed, so as to show the construction of the parts. As in the beforementioned patent, the cards at are each provided near the lower side with an enlarged recess 6 and a narrow slot '7, as shown in Fig. 8, and the rod or bar 8, on which the cards are held, is flattened or wider in one direction than in the other and is capable of being turned into a vertical position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, when the cards may be slipped upon it vertically, and may also be turned substantially horizontally, when the longest diameter of the rod 8 will project across the slot '7 and prevent the removal of the cards; or it is otherwise rendered capable of locking the cards when turned one way and releasing them when turned in the other. This rod 8 in the present construction is provided at its outer end with a knob 9 and back of this'with a shoulder 10, which is arranged within an opening in the front 11 of the drawer, and between said shoulder and the plate 12 on the front of the drawer is arranged a spring 13, the function of which is to keep said rod 8 pressed normally backward. The rear end of the rod is provided with a cylindrical portion 14, having a bearing-in the rear end of the drawer, to which latter is secured a plate 15, having slots 16, projecting at right angles, as shown in Fig. 3, said slots being of approximately the shape of the end of the rod.

From the above it will be seen that normally the rod being in the position shown in Fig; 2 the rear end will be held by the spring 13 in engagement with the horizontal slot 16 and the rod will be prevented from turning and releasing the cards; but when it is desired to remove any of the cards it is only necessary to pull the rod outward against the tension of the spring 13 by means of the knob 9 until the shoulders at the rear end, formedby reducing the rod, are disengaged from the horizontal slot 16, and then allowing the spring to the tendency of said arms beingtoward each I other and a suitable key 26, when insertedpush the rod backward and engage it with the vertical slot in the plate 15,'where it will be held froni accidental movement and theca'rds can be inserted and removed, and when desired the rod can be turned back to horizontal position and locked by engagement with the horizontal slot in the plate 15.

Arranged upon the rod and adapted to slide longitudinally thereof is a follower 20,hav ing the inclined front side,substantially as shown in the patent above referred to, serving to support the cards when the index is notfull, and ordinarilyit is not necessary to provide other means for locking the bar 8 from rotation than that shown, which is capable of operation from the front; but sometimes, as when the index is used to contain signatures at savings or other banks, it is desirable that the follower be prevented from backward movement, so that the removal of the, cards may be prevented, and also that a locking means be provided to preventthe'unauthor ized changing of any of thecards, andthis I find is best accomplished by providing a look upon the follower, which shall not only prevent the movement of the latter, but also prevent the turning ofthe rod 8, and to this end I arrange upon the rear side of said-follower a suitable lock adapted to be operated .by a key and embodying, preferably, a vertically movable bolt 21, adapted to co-operate with the upper side of said rod when in horizontal position and prevent its beingturned so as to release the cards. Suitable friction devices are also provided in saidlock. forenthe rod 8 and preventing the back ward movement of the follower, said devices consisting in the present instance of a plate 22, bent at an angle, as shown, and arranged beneath saidrod, the central portionbeing cutaway for the accommodation of the rod8 when turning and when in vertical position; but when said rod is held down by the bolt of. the lock it is held against said catch, which then operates as a ratchet, preventing the backward movement of the follower, but per mitting its forward movement or toward the front. The under edges of. the rod 8 may be milled or roughened, if desired, andthough.

lock casing, the tendency of said spring being The" to disengage the bolt from the rod .8. bolt 1s also provided with the reduced portion with which co-operate the springarms 25,

between said arms and turned, will separate them, allowing] the spring 23to lift the bolt to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. \Vhen the bolt is pushed down, the arms 2etwill engage the reduced portion and mainta in the follower locked to the rod. I have shown a lug 27 on the casing of the lock, which prevents the complete rotation of the locking-rod 8, as will be understood, and when the edges on one side of the bar are roughened for the engagement I prefer to employ this in order that the roughened side only will engage the plate 22; but it may be dispensed with, if desired.

It will be noted that if the cards are to be changed or inserted on the rod 8 at in frequent or stated intervals only the longitudinal movement of said rod and the locking-plate 15 could be dispensed with and the lock on the follower, which serves to prevent rotation of the rod, could be reliednpon alone to secure it.

I claim as n1y.inventio11 1. I11 a card list, aflattened locking rod or bar adapted ,to pass throughseveral cards and 'capableof a. rotary and a longitudinal move ment in its bearings, in combinationwithva support havingaslotor recesswith which said rod normally engages to prevent rotary. movement and from which it is disengaged by a longitudinal, movement, substantially as described.-

2. In a card list, a,flattened-lockingrod1 or bar'adaptedto passtliroughjseveral cards and capable, of a, rotary. and longitudinal move.- mentin its bearings, in combination with a support, having slots with which said rod: co: operates, to. prevent; rotary. m vement and from which it is disengagedby al0ngiti1dinal movement, and a springmfor moving said rod longitudinally to engage it with its support and lock it, substantially. as described.

3. In a cardlist, a fiattenedlocking rod. or bar adaptedto pass through several cards, capable of a r'otary and alongitndinal movement in its bearings, and havingthe extended bearing end, in combination with the lockingplate having theinters'ecting slots, and the spring for moving said rod longitudinally and cansing its engagement withthe locking plate, sub-. lstantially as described.

l. In acard list, a flattened locking rod or bar adapted to pass throughjseveral cards and capable of arotaryinovement in'its bearings, :in combination with a follower movable longitudinally of said rod and prevented from roitary movement thereon, and adeta'chable fasitening device on said follower forengaging ithe rod. and preventin gits rotation, substan {tiallyas described.

f 5. In. acard list, a flattened locking rod adapted'to pass throughseveral cards and ca- ;pable of avrotary movement inits bearings, in combination, with a follower capable of a longitudinal movementfu'p onsaid rod and prevented f1'o1nrotary movement thereon, and a detachablesecnring device on .said follower for engaging the rod and preventing its rotary movement and also preventing the movement of the follower longitudinally of the rod, substantially as described.

6. In a card list, a flattened locking rod adapted to pass through several cards and capable of a rotary movement in its bearings, in combination with a follower capable of a movement longitudinally of the rod and prevented from rotary movement thereon, a detachable locking device on the follower embodying a movable bolt and a ratchet engaging the rod and preventing movement in one direction, substantially as described.

7. In a card list, the combination with the flattened locking rod, the follower, and the locking device on the follower embodying the movable bolt, cooperating with the rod, and

the catch plate 22 arranged and operaiing,sub-' stantially as described.

8. In a card list, the combination with the drawer or receptacle, the flattened locking rod j ournaled at or near opposite ends in the drawer having the shoulders, a spring cooperating with the shoulders at one end to move the rod longitudinally, and a locking plate having the horizontal slot with which the shoulders at the other end of the rod cooperate, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a casing, of a flatsided, rotatable rod arranged in said casing, partitions slips or cards having apertures or perforations through which saidrod passes, and being provided with openings of less width than the greater diameter of the cross section of the rod, and a follower adapted to rest against a part of the casing, and also having an aperture or perforation through which said rod passes, and being provided with means engaging said rod and preventing its rotation, substantially as described.

CARL F. LOMB. Witnesses:

AUGUST VETTER, F. F. CHURCH. 

